IUSD Board Hosted 17th Public Meeting to Ensure Highest Standards for Portola High Site

The Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) Board of Education held the 17th public meeting, since 2013, in which the Portola High School site was discussed and the public had opportunity to comment. During the more than four-hour meeting on Tuesday evening, the Board heard presentations from the California Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC), and IUSD staff and experts about the history of the school site and its safety. The presentations were followed by public testimony from the capacity audience.

DTSC Presentation: Extensive Testing and Approvals of the Portola High School Site

DTSC Division Chief Dot Lofstrom began the evening’s presentations. She reviewed the federal, state and local processes required to ensure a site is safe before a school can be built and the stringent standards IUSD followed. She stated, “To this day, the District has worked closely and collaboratively with the DTSC to ensure the high standards for environmental safety were met.” She went on to address DTSC’s April 2014 approval of the school site, which documented the site was safe and was a “green light” for IUSD to begin construction of Portola High School. Chief Lofstrom clarified the purpose of the additional confirmation sampling …read more